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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. net — in sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. suit — to fit
  8. firm — steady
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — decided
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. net — for catching
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. net — after costs
  20. root — of a plant
  21. firm — a company
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. root — of a word
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com